1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to complete refrigeration systems and, in particular, to the construction and arrangement of heat exchangers used in complete refrigeration systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
Complete refrigeration systems (CRS) are typically manufactured as self-contained modules or units which contain all the necessary components to provide refrigeration for a given application, such as a refrigerator, a vending machine, an electronics component, or other applications. A CRS is typically manufactured and packaged as a modular unit including a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator, with the foregoing components mounted to a base plate and fluidly connected to one another by suitable refrigerant conduits. The CRS unit may then be shipped from the CRS manufacturer to an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) who installs the CRS within the enclosure of an appliance, such as a refrigerator, vending machine, or electronics component, for example.
A typical CRS configuration is shown in FIG. 1. The CRS includes compressor 20, condenser 22, expansion device 24, shown as a capillary tube, and evaporator 26 connected in serial order by refrigerant conduits. Compressor 20 may be a scroll compressor, a reciprocating piston compressor, a rotary compressor, or any other type of compressor known in the art. Evaporator 26 and condenser 22 are constructed as box-shaped components having large surface areas, including fins 27, to facilitating the transfer of thermal energy. Fans 28a and 28b may be positioned to move air over evaporator 26 and condenser 22. Fan 28a at condenser 22 moves air over condenser 22 and discharges the heated air from a space to be cooled in the application (not shown) to the ambient environment 30, and fan 28b at evaporator 26 moves air from within the space to be cooled over evaporator 26 to cool the air, followed by discharging the cooled air back into the space to be cooled. The entire CRS is mounted on base plate 29 for easy shipping and installation into an appliance or other refrigeration application. Base plate 29 typically has a rectangular shape, and a framework 31 may be connected to base plate 29, the framework 31 optionally including sides and a top (not shown).
A potential disadvantage of these types of CRS units in certain applications is that the geometry of the evaporator and the condenser requires that the CRS unit itself occupy a rather large, substantially rectangular (cuboidal) volume or profile. Additionally, as may be seen in FIG. 1, the use of conventionally-shaped, box-type condensers and evaporators may result in a relatively large amount of unused space within the overall rectangular volume or profile of the CRS unit, such as the space around the compressor. Further, when a CRS unit is used in an electronics application, such as in a computer, a server, or other electronic equipment, the overall space occupied by the CRS within the electronic component must be minimized.
It is desirable to have a CRS for use in refrigeration applications which is an improvement over the foregoing.